Out in the country in Sashiki, the buzzes and drones from nocturnal critters was enthralling. So on our last night there, I convinced Jojo to sneak out of the house with me around 1 a.m. We sat in the middle of a dark sugarcane field and recorded some new songs with atmospheric accompaniment.

One of my favorite things about Okinawa is the town-wide public announcements. They’re usually about some kind of community event — a baseball game or a movie screening — but it’s nearly impossible to decipher since all the dogs in the town start barking at the opening chime. And that’s even if you understand Japanese!

Today’s afternoon announcement in Sashiki was simply a recording of a popular folk song. Hope you enjoy this rough recording: